An Eastern Box Turtle was waiting to greet me....

When I checked on the camera Saturday, I was delighted to see this handsome turtle waiting patiently, enjoying the view. It didn't move all the while that I was adjusting the camera, and didn't even tuck inside its shell. That surprised me.

I might add that this turtle was pretty far from water. You may recall that I have the camera on the highest point in the park, on the top of a ridge about 260 feet above the Loch Raven Reservoir, and Minebank Run, where the beaver lived last year.


Also hanging around was this caterpillar. It was on the back of a small sign that I post next to the camera, explaining what it is. I'm bad at caterpillars, and would be happy to have one of you tell me what it is.

Please.












And what, you're probably asking, was caught on camera this week?

The usual, I dare say.



 I'm not sure what bird we have here.

 Right now, these two are getting along. But soon they will be fighting over the does, won't they?

 These are beautiful animals, aren't they?

 The Ridgelys of Hampton (www.nps.gov/hamp) used to keep squirrels as pets. They even put leashes on them.

And on the way back to me car, I happened to look over this bridge. See a brown squiggle on the right side of the pool? It looks like it could be a stick, perhaps. It isn't. It's a Northern water snake.


That makes the total for this week:

1. deer
2. fox
3. squirrel
4. bird
5. snake
6. caterpillar
7. raccoon
8. turtle

More later.